Feet are dancing on New Year’s Day

Since I moved to Lund, it’s always been very easy for me to visit my parents. The comfort of Regional Bus no. 5 makes the distance in a little less than an hour. But when seeking more than comfort, the opportunity is always there to exchange the bus for a 9-hour walk.

I think both me and Katrin were quite excited, packing our rucksacks with leftovers from the gourmet dinner we had had last eve. We departed from my parents home a little after noon and trotted off on a narrow forest trail, headed for Lund.

Arriving at the east side of Sjöbo, we walked through an around-the-year camp site and we were amazed that some people were still living there at this time of year. For some it might have been a home away from home. But to some of the caravan owners this was probably their real home.

Taking the scenic route, we navigated our way into a military training area that belongs to the Southern Scanian Regiment P7. Katrin got a bit freaked out about the signs warning us not to touch any unexploded ordnance we might stumble upon. I reassured her that the odds were in our favour in this matter, and on we went.

For an hour we walked a long service road while talking like mad about everything and anything. About 15 kilometres into the walk we took a short break, watching the fog move over the water of Vombsjön. After some more kilometres we traded the sheltered forest for a breezy grey heath were the clouds lay low and the fog was quite thick. We had arrived at the edge of Revingehed.

Having walked deep into the heath, a sound was building up in the distance, coming closer and becoming stronger. What was that? A little later we realized that it was flocks of geese resting in the fields on both sides of the road. Quite big flocks of them judging by the level of noise. The fog was so thick that we couldn’t see them.

Katrin had stopped to take some stones out of her shoe. They came at us from the left. It was a coordinated attack that took us by surprise. Splat-splat-splat-splat. It sounded like hard rain but we realized that a flock of geese had just flown over us while shitting collectively. We were so relieved that neither of us got hit. That would have been a demoraliser with about 20 kilometres left to go. We went on, leaving the geese be. Obviously we were not welcome in their neck of the heath.

By now the walk had grown tough for both of us, but for my part I really enjoy that kind of challenge and discomfort. Being a bit frozen. Cold raindrops on my face. Tired legs. Passing into and later through the mental low points. Due to the company, my mood was quite high all through, but usually I go through many phases and moods, highs and lows, during a continuous long distance venture.

The only thing bothering me at times was my achy feet. I think they were quite filled with blood, due to both gravity and muscular activity that was going on down there. There were times when I felt the need to stop and flick my ankles, stretching them slightly before I could continue.

After a long patch of dirt roads through Revingehed, we arrived in Södra Sandby with only 10 kilometres left to walk. The last part that went along the cycle path to Lund felt like forever. My feet were aching, but still going strong and letting me move forward. Last time I walked such distance in FiveFingers my feet got very tired and quite swollen. This time they felt fine.

We arrived at the east of Lund, we had already planned to take a city bus from here – the same one that we just missed by a minute. Luckily we caught another one in no time. Back home I walked into the shower, cold and stiff, but with a strong sense of satisfaction and happiness in my mind.